Photochemistry decomposition

Azo-compounds and peroxides undergo photodecomposition to radicals when irradiated with light of suitable wavelength. The mechanism appears similar to that of thermal decomposition to the extent that it involves cleavage of the same bonds. The photodecomposition of azo-compounds is discussed in Section 3.3.1.1.2 and peroxides in Sections 3.3.2.1.2 (diacyl peroxides) and 3.3.2.3.2 (peroxyesters). Specific photoinitiators are discussed in Section 3.3.4. It is also worth noting that certain monomers may undergo photochemistry and direct photoinitiation on irradiation of monomer is possible. 

While di-i-butyl (34) and dicumyl hyponitrites (35) have proved convenient sources of Tbutoxy and cumyloxy radicals respectively in the laboratory,71 72 115"117 the utilization of hyponitrites as initiators of polymerization has been limited by difficulties in synthesis and commercial availability. Dialkyl hyponitrites (16) show only weak absorption at A>290 ntn and their photochemistry is largely a neglected area. The triplet sensitized decomposition of these materials has been investigated by Mendenhall et a .11 s... 

The photochemistry of Titan s atmosphere can be summarized as follows the unsaturated compounds are formed from HCN and C2H2, which is derived from CH4. Methane decomposition leads to further ethane formation. 

The hypothesis that the cobalt carbonyl radicals are the carriers of catalytic activity was disproved by a high pressure photochemistry experiment /32/, in which the Co(CO), radical was prepared under hydroformylation conditions by photolysis of dicobalt octacarbonyl in hydrocarbon solvents. The catalytic reaction was not enhanced by the irradiation, as would be expected if the radicals were the active catalyst. On the contrary, the Co(C0)4 radicals were found to inhibit the hydroformylation. They initiate the decomposition of the real active catalyst, HCo(C0)4, in a radical chain process /32, 33/. 

The photochemical decomposition of Mes3GeHgCl was studied by Castel and coworkers107. The main photoreaction is the ejection of Hg, and the formation of Mes3GeCl, presumably via an intramolecular mechanism. A number of other reactions are observed, however, all occurring via formation of Mes3Ge-. The photochemistry is summarized in Scheme 28, with the reactions being followed by E.S.R. and N.M.R. spectroscopies. 

The decompositions of C302, CO, C02, CS2, COS, CSe2 and COSe are dealt with in this section. Apart from carbon suboxide, this is a group of stable, un-reactive compounds. Considerable emphasis has been placed on the investigation of the photolytic decompositions of some of these compounds which are thought to provide useful sources of atoms (C, O, S and Se) and free radicals (C20). The photochemistry of carbon dioxide has particular relevance to the chemistry of planetary atmospheres, although to date the mechanism of C02 photolysis remains obscure. 

Although the photolysis of C302 has been used extensively as a source of C20 radicals and C atoms, little is known about the photochemistry of this molecule. Absorption and photo-decomposition commence2,4 at 3300 A and result in the production of CO and a polymer5. C02 is a minor product at short wavelengths6. The careful work of Bayes et alf has produced compelling, although indirect evidence for the importance of... 

The first irrefutable observation of a discriminating interaction between enantiomeric surfactants in monolayers was most probably made by Filippus Johannes Zeelen (84) in a detailed study concerning the synthesis, monolayer behavior, and photochemistry of a series of A -stearoylamino acid derivatives that were employed to model the conformation and photochemical decomposition of proteins. Although Zeelen was able to demonstrate significant differences in the force-area curves obtained from racemic and optically active forms of several of these derivatives, publication of this work in 1956 was... 

Interest in the photochemistry of boron compounds dates back as far as 1913 when Alfred Stock investigated the effects of light from a mercury vapor lamp on diboran 6) and on tetraboran 10). In the case of diborane(6) he commented UV light will also decompose B2H6. The volume of a sample in a quartz tube increased by 1/6 after 24 hours exposure to a mercury-arc lamp, and a pale yellow crystalline substance appeared. Stock also observed that B4H q decomposition to B2H is not noticeably influenced by sunlight. 

Little experimental data on the photochemistry of compounds with B—0 bonds have been reported. Boron-hydride/oxygen mixtures are explosive. These explosions can be initiated by photochemical processes. Grimm and Porter have studied the photochemical decomposition of H2B2O3 using a low pressure mercury lamp. The UV spectrum of this compound is illustrated in Fig. 13. The rate of the reaction was increased when mercury was present as a photosensitizer. 

Although the photochemistry of the thietane ring has been studied to some degree in the gas phase, the study of its decomposition in solution or in glassy matrices has not been extensive. Biradicals are postulated as intermediates in order to account for the differences in stereochemistry, abiding by the Woodward-Hoffmann rules for concerted reactions. Biradi-... 

The photochemistry of Eosin under both reductive and oxidative conditions has been studied by several groups [145-151], Photoreduction by amines such as tribenzylamine (R = CH2, R" = ) produces two leuco analogues, the dihydro derivative, and the cross-coupled product formed from the amine radical and the dye radical anion (2) [152], In addition, debromination of Eosin is reported during photobleaching with amines and phenols. The reader however is referred to the extensive studies of Rose Bengal dehalogenation by Paczkowski and Neckers [153]. Radiolysis of Eosin in methanol shows that debromination is a consequence of the photochemical decomposition of semireduced Eosin [154],... 

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